زر در اندازید بر روی نمد ** دست بیرون کرد از تعجیل خود
And dropped some gold on the felt (shroud). He (the jurist) put forth his hand in his haste (and fear)
تا نگیرد آن کفن‌خواه آن صله ** تا نهان نکند ازو آن ده‌دله
Lest the purveyor of the grave-clothes should seize the gift of money and lest that perfidious rascal should hide it from him.
مرده از زیر نمد بر کرد دست ** سر برون آمد پی دستش ز پست
The dead man raised his hand from beneath the felt (shroud), and, following his hand, his head (too) came forth from below.
گفت با صدر جهان چون بستدم ** ای ببسته بر من ابواب کرم 3835
He said to the Sadr-i Jahán, “(See) how I have received (it), O thou who didst shut the doors of generosity against me!”
گفت لیکن تا نمردی ای عنود ** از جناب من نبردی هیچ جود
He (the Sadr) replied, “(Yes), but until you died, O obstinate man, you got no bounty from me.”
سر موتوا قبل موت این بود ** کز پس مردن غنیمت‌ها رسد
The mystery of “Die before death” is this, that the prizes come after dying (and not before).
غیر مردن هیچ فرهنگی دگر ** در نگیرد با خدای ای حیله‌گر
Except dying, no other skill avails with God, O artful schemer.
یک عنایت به ز صد گون اجتهاد ** جهد را خوفست از صد گون فساد
One (Divine) favour is better than a hundred kinds of (personal) effort: (such) exertion is in danger from a hundred kinds of mischief.
وآن عنایت هست موقوف ممات ** تجربه کردند این ره را ثقات 3840
And the (Divine) favour depends on dying: the trustworthy (authorities) have put this way (doctrine) to the test.
بلک مرگش بی‌عنایت نیز نیست ** بی‌عنایت هان و هان جایی مه‌ایست
Nay, not even his (the mystic's) death is (possible) without the (Divine) favour: hark, hark, do not tarry anywhere without the (Divine) favour!
آن زمرد باشد این افعی پیر ** بی زمرد کی شود افعی ضریر
That (favour) is (like) an emerald, and this (carnal self) is (like) an old viper: without the emerald how should the viper be made blind?
حکایت آن دو برادر یکی کوسه و یکی امرد در عزب خانه‌ای خفتند شبی اتفاقا امرد خشتها بر مقعد خود انبار کرد عاقبت دباب دب آورد و آن خشتها را به حیله و نرمی از پس او برداشت کودک بیدار شد به جنگ کی این خشتها کو کجا بردی و چرا بردی او گفت تو این خشتها را چرا نهادی الی آخره
Story of two brothers, one of whom had a few hairs on his chin while the other was a beardless boy. They went to sleep in a house for celibates. One night, as it happened, the boy lateribus congestis nates obtexit. Denique paedicator adrepsit, lateres ab ejus tergo callide et molliter summovit. [One night, as it happened, the boy piled bricks on his buttocks (as protection). At length, a crawler (sodomizer) crept (near) and craftily and softly took off the bricks from behind him.] The boy awoke and began to quarrel, saying, “Where are these bricks? Where have you taken them to? Why did you take them?” He replied, “Why did you put these bricks there?” etc.
امردی و کوسه‌ای در انجمن ** آمدند و مجمعی بد در وطن
A beardless boy and a youth with a few hairs on his chin came to a festive gathering, for there was an assembly-place in the town.
مشتغل ماندند قوم منتجب ** روز رفت و شد زمانه ثلث شب
The select party remained busy (enjoying themselves) till the day was gone and a third of the night had passed.
زان عزب‌خانه نرفتند آن دو کس ** هم بخفتند آن سو از بیم عسس 3845
The two (brothers) did not leave that house for celibates: they lay down to sleep there for fear of (meeting) the night-patrol.
کوسه را بد بر زنخدان چار مو ** لیک هم‌چون ماه بدرش بود رو
The youth had four hairs on his chin, but his face was like the full-moon (in beauty).
کودک امرد به صورت بود زشت ** هم نهاد اندر پس کون بیست خشت
The beardless boy was ugly in appearance: post culum tamen viginti lateres posuit. [The beardless boy was ugly in appearance: yet he placed twenty bricks behind (his) buttocks.]
لوطیی دب برد شب در انبهی ** خشتها را نقل کرد آن مشتهی
Paedicator quidam noctu in frequentia hominum adrepsit: lateres amovit vir libidinosus. [A pederast crept through a crowd (of sleepers) at night; the lustful man moved the bricks.]
دست چون بر وی زد او از جا بجست ** گفت هی تو کیستی ای سگ‌پرست
Cum manum ei injiceret exsiluit puer: “eho,” inquit, “tu quis homo es, O canis cultor?” [When his hand touched him, he jumped up from his place: “hey,” he asked, “who are you, O worshipper of dogs?”]
گفت این سی خشت چون انباشتی ** گفت تو سی خشت چون بر داشتی 3850
Respondit: “Cur hos triginta lateres congessisti?” “Tu,” inquit, “cur triginta lateris sustulisti? [He replied, “Why did you heap up these thirty bricks?” “Why,” he asked, “did you take off the thirty bricks?]
کودک بیمارم و از ضعف خود ** کردم اینجا احتیاط و مرتقد
I am a sick boy and because of my weakness I took precautions and made here a place to lie down.”
گفت اگر داری ز رنجوری تفی ** چون نرفتی جانب دار الشفا
He replied, “If you are ill with a fever, why didn't you go to the hospital
یا به خانه‌ی یک طبیبی مشفقی ** که گشادی از سقامت مغلقی
Or to the house of a kindly physician, in order that he might relieve you of your malady?”
گفت آخر من کجا دانم شدن ** که بهرجا می‌روم من ممتحن
“Why,” said he, “where can I go? for wherever I go, persecuted (as I am),
چون تو زندیقی پلیدی ملحدی ** می بر آرد سر به پیشم چون ددی 3855
Some foul ungodly miscreant like you springs up before me like a wild beast.
خانقاهی که بود بهتر مکان ** من ندیدم یک دمی در وی امان
The dervish-convent, which is the best place—not (even) there do I find safety for one moment.
رو به من آرند مشتی حمزه‌خوار ** چشم‌ها پر نطفه کف خایه‌فشار
A handful of (greedy) pottage-eaters direct their looks at me: oculi semine impleti dum pressant manibus testiculos; [A handful of (greedy) pottage-eaters direct their looks at me: (their) eyes full of sperm (while their) hands (are) squeezing their testicles;]
وانک ناموسیست خود از زیر زیر ** غمزه دزدد می‌دهد مالش به کیر
And even he that has regard for decorum steals covert glances et penem fricat. [And even he that has regard for decorum steals covert glances (while) rubbing (his) penis.]
خانقه چون این بود بازار عام ** چون بود خر گله و دیوان خام
Since the convent is (like) this, what must the public market be like? A herd of asses and boorish devils!
خر کجا ناموس و تقوی از کجا ** خر چه داند خشیت و خوف و رجا 3860
What has an ass to do with decorum and piety? How should an ass know (anything about) reverence and fear and hope?
عقل باشد آمنی و عدل‌جو ** بر زن و بر مرد اما عقل کو
(Real) intelligence consists in being safe (from temptation) and in the desire to act justly towards (every) woman and towards (every) man; but where is (such) intelligence (to be found)?
ور گریزم من روم سوی زنان ** هم‌چو یوسف افتم اندر افتتان
And if I run away and go to the women, I should fall into tribulation like Joseph.
یوسف از زن یافت زندان و فشار ** من شوم توزیع بر پنجاه دار
Joseph suffered imprisonment and torment at the hands of a woman: I should be divided amongst fifty gibbets.
آن زنان از جاهلی بر من تنند ** اولیاشان قصد جان من کنند
Those women in their foolishness would attach themselves to me, and (then) their nearest and dearest (relatives by blood or marriage) would seek my life.
نه ز مردان چاره دارم نه از زنان ** چون کنم که نی ازینم نه از آن 3865
I have no means of escape either from men or women: what can I do, since I belong neither to these nor to those?”
بعد از آن کودک به کوسه بنگریست ** گفت او با آن دو مو از غم بریست
After (making) that (complaint) the boy looked at the youth and said, “He is quit of trouble by reason of the two (or three) hairs (on his chin).
فارغست از خشت و از پیکار خشت ** وز چو تو مادرفروش کنک زشت
He is independent of the bricks and of quarrelling over the bricks and of a wicked young ruffian like you who would sell (prostitute) his own mother.
بر زنخ سه چار مو بهر نمون ** بهتر از سی خشت گرداگرد کون
Three or four hairs on the chin as a notice are better than triginta lateres circa culum.” [Three or four hairs on the chin as a notice are better than thirty bricks around the buttocks.”]
ذره‌ای سایه‌ی عنایت بهترست ** از هزاران کوشش طاعت‌پرست
One atom of the shade (protection) of (Divine) favour is better than a thousand endeavours of the devout pietist,
زانک شیطان خشت طاعت بر کند ** گر دو صد خشتست خود را ره کند 3870
Because the Devil will remove the bricks of piety: (even) if there are two hundred bricks he will make a way for himself.
خشت اگر پرست بنهاده‌ی توست ** آن دو سه مو از عطای آن سوست
If the bricks are numerous, (yet) they are laid by you, (while) those two or three hairs are a gift from Yonder.
در حقیقت هر یکی مو زان کهیست ** کان امان‌نامه‌ی صله‌ی شاهنشهیست
In reality each one of those (hairs) is (firm) as a mountain, for it is a safe conduct bestowed by an Emperor.
تو اگر صد قفل بنهی بر دری ** بر کند آن جمله را خیره‌سری
If you put a hundred locks on a door, some reckless fellow may remove them all;
شحنه‌ای از موم اگر مهری نهد ** پهلوانان را از آن دل بشکهد
(But) if a police magistrate put a wax seal (on it), at (the sight of) that (even) the hearts of doughty champions will quail.
آن دو سه تار عنایت هم‌چو کوه ** سد شد چون فر سیما در وجوه 3875
Those two or three hair-threads of (Divine) favour form a barrier (strong) as a mountain (against evil), like majesty of aspect in the faces (of potentates).
خشت را مگذار ای نیکوسرشت ** لیک هم آمن مخسپ از دیو زشت
Do not neglect (to lay) the bricks, O man of goodly nature; but at the same time do not sleep (as though you were) safe from the wicked Devil.
رو دو تا مو زان کرم با دست آر ** وانگهان آمن بخسپ و غم مدار
Go and get two hairs of that (Divine) grace, and then sleep safe (sound) and have no anxiety.
نوم عالم از عبادت به بود ** آنچنان علمی که مستنبه بود
The sleep of the wise (‘álim) is better than worship (performed by the ignorant), (if it be) such a wisdom (‘ilm) as brings (spiritual) awakening.
آن سکون سابح اندر آشنا ** به ز جهد اعجمی با دست و پا
The quiet of the (expert) swimmer in swimming is better than the exertion (violent movements) with hands and feet of one who is unable (to swim).
اعجمی زد دست و پا و غرق شد ** می‌رود سباح ساکن چون عمد 3880
He that cannot swim throws out his hands and feet (desperately) and drowns, (while) the (practised) swimmer moves quietly (with a steadiness) like (that of) pillars.
علم دریاییست بی‌حد و کنار ** طالب علمست غواص بحار
Knowledge (‘ilm) is an ocean without bound or shore: the seeker of knowledge is (like) the diver in (those) seas.